BMW N63 Upgraded Intake Guide

A dual cone intake system for twin turbo BMW’s are one of our favorite bolt-on mods. However, the N63 is a bit different. The stock N63 intake system is efficient from the factory. That leads us to ask, “are dual cone intakes worth it?” Let’s dive in and examine the benefits to an upgraded intake system and list a few of the solid options on the market.

For more information about the BMW N63 engine including engine specs, common problems, and popular modifications, take a look at our dedicated BMW N63 Engine Page.

N63 Dual Cone Intake (DCI) Performance

Upgraded intakes only add power in two primary ways. One, the stock intake system is inefficient and restricts air flow. A more efficient intake would allow the engine to pull in larger volumes of air faster. Two, an upgraded intake may be able to pull in colder air than the stock system. If the stock system is efficient enough to keep up with volume and pulls in the coldest possible air, then an upgraded intake is basically useless. As stated initially, the N63 comes from the factory with an efficient intake system.

N63 Intake Upgrades Benefits

It is unlikely a bone-stock N63 will gain any power at all from an “upgraded” intake system. However, as power is increased via tunes and other bolt-on parts the stock N63 intakes may begin falling short. As such, upgraded dual cone intakes may provide some performance benefits for modded N63’s, especially when heavily modded with upgraded turbos. A few benefits include:

• 0-10+whp
• Similar torque gains
• Intoxicating sound
• Easier maintenance

Again, where each N63 falls on the scale of power gains depends on mods. Full bolt-on N63’s should expect gains in the ballpark of 5-10whp. With upgraded turbos you may see gains of 10+whp. Expect torque gains to be in the same range. Another benefit of DCI’s is easier maintenance. Dual cone intake designs are generally easier to clean the filters. Most importantly, removing the bulky stock air-boxes frees up some space – especially if you opt for dual cone intakes that mount just behind the grille.

N63 Dual Cone Intake Sounds

Now, this is our favorite part about dual cone intakes. The stock air-box muffles a lot of noise from the turbos and induction. By installing dual cone filters you free up those sounds. You will hear a lot of turbo and induction noise on the lower-end and mid-range while under moderate to heavy boost. We love it. It really is a unique, intoxicating sound. However, during standard cruising the intakes remain pretty quiet and are not overly intrusive.

Normally we would recommend DCI’s for the sound alone, however the N63 intake systems might be a bit expensive for noise alone. More on this later. Again, you might also gain a few horsepower with the N63 intakes. Ultimately, we recommend N63 DCI’s for the sound just as much as the potential power gains.

Best N63 Dual Cone Intakes

Below we will list a few of the popular options on the market for the N63 engines. To note – it is not an exhaustive list and other great options exist. We’ll list a couple basic design N63 DCI’s that are likely best for a balance of cost, sounds, and potential power gains. The more expensive setups are for those looking to spice things up a bit with unique looks.

1. ARM Motorsports N63 Intake

ARM Motorsports makes some solid products for great pricing, especially the N63 intakes. These are just about at the bottom end of the price range for N63 open dual cone intake systems. The intakes remove the factory air-boxes but remain in generally the same location. You can also choose between their dry filters or K&N oiled filters for a premium. ARM Motorsports DCI’s are a great option for those on a budget and simply looking for sounds and potential power gains.

ARM Motorsports DCI Price: $447 ($534 w/ K&N filters)

Buy Here: ARM Motorsports N63 DCI

2. N63Intake.com N63 Carbon Fiber DCI

N63intake.com offers a beautiful carbon fiber dual cone intake for the BMW N63 engine. However, carbon fiber isn’t cheap. As such, this is a highly expensive intake reserved for those willing to pay for the looks and quality. In addition to the beautiful carbon fiber the actual filters are mounted just behind the kidney grilles giving a unique appearance even with the hood closed. Additionally, the location of these intakes may assist in providing a bit of extra power since they avoid pulling in warmer air from the engine bay.

Since these are not directly in the engine bay expect even louder intoxicating sounds from the DCI, especially for those outside of the N63. As much as we love this intake we would find it hard to pull the trigger at their pricing.

N63Intake.com DCI Price: $1,300-$1,600

Buy Here: N63Intake.com Carbon Fiber DCI

3. MotoXDirect N63 DCI

Similar to the offering from N63intake.com these DCI’s mount just behind the kidney grilles. Again, they may provide slightly improved performance (compared to the first option we listed) since they will be pulling in slightly cooler air. Rather than carbon fiber intake piping these are made of metal. They come in slightly cheaper than the carbon fiber option, so it might be a good choice for those wanting the intakes mounted behind the grilles.

MotoXDirect N63 DCI Price: $1,100

Buy Here: MotoXDirect N63 Performance Intake

BMW N63 Upgraded Intake Summary

As stated, we typically highly recommend dual cone intakes for turbo BMW’s. However, the N63 is a bit different since the intakes are expensive and offer minor performance benefits. However, FBO N63’s may expect gains of 5-10whp with similar improvements to torque. Additionally, the sounds from DCI’s are intoxicating and they may be worth it for that alone.

ARM Motorsports has a great product at a very reasonable price point. However, the intake location in the engine bay may lead to the engine pulling in slightly warmer air. N63intake.com and MotoXDirect offer a great solution, but at a totally different price point. Personally, we would get DCI’s for an N63. However, we would likely hold off at first and opt for a tune and downpipes.

For more N63 modifications check out additional guides like the best N63 downpipes, building a 500+whp N63, and N63 twin turbo upgrades.